i just got a deal on ebay, and i am a little nervous about it.
there is no picture of the item, although the description says it is a little over 2 years old and was lightly used by a beginner.
the seller is a first time ebay user, he has never before bought or sold anything on ebay. you can tell by the little number next to his screen name in parenthesis, this sellers is a 1 so it is his first item.
it was a very good price, not unusually low for a starting price but no bidders, that was probably because he didn’t name it quite right and people searching for this particular item would have missed it, i have found you have to enter several misspellings when searching to cover all the bases.
anyway the final selling price is almost too good to be true, which is another reason to be nervous. so what to do?
i want to make sure its not stolen, how to do that? this is probably the most important thing, i cannot own stolen tools. if i got ripped off it would be a loss, but to own stolen tools is unacceptable, i would have to turn it in and file a report, huge PIA. Whatdya think, check with the manufacturer? local cops?
i would like to pay with a credit card via paypal so that i have a record of the purchase for tax puposes as well as proof i didn’t steal it. but what happens if he just doesn’t send the item? its not to far from me, i asked if i could pick it up instead of have it shipped. i guess that is the best way to go even if it costs more than shipping.
any ebay experts in here with advice?
Replies
Too late to back out now, and likely no way to confirm it is or isn't stolen. Don't sweat it and stay on top of it. Alternatively, don't buy on ebay.
Buying from new sellers often provides the best deals available on ebay and they often are the most reliable sellers because they want to establish a good reputation. Many buyers won't take the risk of dealing with them and miss the good deals.
By all means pay with Paypal since that offers you some protection at no extra cost. Paypal can ding the sellers account with a charge back if there is a problem and will refund the money to you. Do all your communicating with the seller through the ebay communication system so there is a record ebay can easily access should a problem happen.
Paypal can ding the sellers account with a charge back if there is a problem and will refund the money to you.
Have you ever tried that, though? I recently had the misfortune to have to file a buyer complaint. Paypal says they will resolve in 30 days, but after 45 days they were still "reviewing". Had to file a chargeback with my credit card company, which they accepted without debate (I was clearly in the right in this matter).
Paypal says they are "reviewing the chargeback request". I suspect they will be reviewing for years.
Another issue is that if you read the fine print, Paypal does not say you will get your money back, just that they will "try" to recover the funds from the seller, but no guarantees.
I've concluded that the paypal buyer protection is not worth much, and the credit card chargeback protection is the best bet.
i came to the conclusion on my own that paypal would probably help little if at all to get the money back, and they will only reimburse $200 for a total rip off.
but i made the decision to go ahead and pay with paypal because the guy was communicating with me and sounded to unsophisticated to be a scammer. a scammer would have had a better line, photo, etc etc. maybe i'm wrong, we'll see.
plus i figured i could track him. i have an email address, he has an account with ebay and with paypal, there has got to be a way to find out who it is. if i can find the guy i am sure i will be able to resolve the transaction satisfactorily. no question in my military mind.
he has an account with ebay and with paypal
Which are the same company, and will not release his information to you without a court order.
My conclusion from my experience was that I should pay with Paypal, but use a credit card. That way both the Paypal and credit card dispute processes are available, along with specific protections under federal law.
I've never had to resort to a Paypal chargeback and have only involved ebay twice to resolve problems. In both cases, ebay involvement was sufficient to make the seller toe the line.On the other hand, the vintage audio forum I frequent documents many more successful cases of obtaining refunds through Paypal than unsuccessful cases and as you might guess, dealing in old and expensive electronics generates many transaction problems. I understand that certain conditions need to be met in order to be eligible for full protection and also that in cases that are less than straightforward, the process can be a bit more lengthy. I also understand that it is not Paypal's role to recover the funds should the seller not have funds available to Paypal. That bit of boilerplate is necessary in the user agreement given the number of people who would otherwise try to pass off responsibility for their own bad judgment.Bottom line is that Paypal is by far and away the wisest choice for making ebay auction payments and using a credit card with purchase protection to fund it is equally wise. Short of escrow, no other method comes close to the protection it provides.
I've never had to resort to a Paypal chargeback and have only involved ebay twice to resolve problems. In both cases, ebay involvement was sufficient to make the seller toe the line.
IF ebay will get involved and IF the seller cares, this can work well. In my experience, though, I haven't had problems with the honest sellers - it's the dishonest ones that I've had trouble with, and they don't care. They just open a new ebay account and abandon the old one.
Bottom line is that Paypal is by far and away the wisest choice for making ebay auction payments and using a credit card with purchase protection to fund it is equally wise. Short of escrow, no other method comes close to the protection it provides.
I don't really disagree with that, just pointing out that the chances of recovering from Paypal through their buyer protection program seem to be small. Even if they rule in your favor, you may not get your money back if the seller has removed the funds from Paypal or refuses to pay.
One way to avoid this is to immediately file a buyer complaint after paying for the item. This freezes the funds so that the seller can't take the money. However, this will not promote good seller-buyer relations :-) Basically, you are saying that you don't trust them and they can't have their money until you are happy.
The credit card dispute process is much better for the buyer. You submit the complaint to your credit card company, the credit card company charges it back, and then it is up to Paypal and the seller to convince the credit card company to accept back the charge. You have the legal right not to pay it, even if the credit card company decides you are in the wrong. They can bill you for it, but they can't compromise your credit rating or send you to collections.
In practice, with reputable credit card companies (which are getting harder to find), the credit card companies tend to side with their customer, the buyer, so USUALLY they will do a chargeback and it's done. This assumes a legitimate complaint - if someone was trying to scam the system, they presumably would be less cooperative.
So the difference is that through the Paypal process, you MAY get your money back. Through the credit card process, you WILL get your money back (or, more precisely, never have to pay it in the first place).
FWIW, I have been very pleased with the support and response from Discover, displeased with the response from a Visa card with a national bank in the city. Many banks now try to badger the consumer into giving up, so they don't have the expense or "hit" of the chargeback. So it pays to figure out which of your cards will yield better results with less hassle - and for me, that has been Discover.
One thing that irritates me is the Paypal defaulting to a bank account, I have not figured out how to make the CC the default payment. They have changed the pay screen around so it is not as obvious. I could delete the two bank accounts but sometimes need them.
Agree on using the credit card. I have only had one dispute, seller way undersold the item (ipod) and reniged. New seller, kids and really no problem with them. They tried to give the money back theough paypal and it took over a month.
"
105815.2 in reply to 105815.1
Too late to back out now, and likely no way to confirm it is or isn't stolen. Don't sweat it and stay on top of it. Alternatively, don't buy on ebay"
Ob,
I've backed out several times on eBay after after getting bad vibes after winning an auction. Never effected my eBay rating. One thing to remember, if the sale is out of state, you have little recourse, as does the seller,.....let'um re-list it. vs. you getting scammed.
WSJ
No offense but do me a favour and don't bid on any auction I might run.Time for second thoughts is before you push the button, not after you electronically shake hands and say we have a deal. If buyers and sellers stop living up to that agreement, ebay becomes an unreliable market and the benefits it offers are lost.A smokin' good price and a chance to turn a good profit aren't the only things to consider before you bid.
I've backed out several times on eBay after after getting bad vibes after winning an auction.
You weren't able to get the bad vibe prior to putting a bid in?jt8
"A little 'enthusiasm' and all problems seems small!"
"You weren't able to get the bad vibe prior to putting a bid in?"
John,
No. I was alerted by another Ebayer (with hyperlinks) after my bid close that the seller had been trying to sell the same lot of items (4 BMW wheels) several times prior.
The seller used the same pictures from a prior sale (1985 15x7's) but claimed on the phone prior to my payment and them being shipped but after I won the auction that that they were 2005 16x7's as advertised. So the photo that he displayed he admitted to me were not the actual items I would be receiving. If I didn't like what he shipped me, he told me I could ship them back. ie. I 'd be out a couple c notes on the shipping, if I even ever got my money back which in my mind was doubtful.
I chose to balk. You on the other hand, based on your reply, would have completed the transaction, likely would have received an improperly advertised product, gone through a very costly legal battle across state lines, against a person with no money, and been out several hundred dollars.
WSJ
chose to balk. You on the other hand, based on your reply, would have completed the transaction, likely would have received an improperly advertised product, gone through a very costly legal battle across state lines, against a person with no money, and been out several hundred dollars.
I doubt I'd bid on something that didn't have the correct picture.
jt8
"A little 'enthusiasm' and all problems seems small!"
"I doubt I'd bid on something that didn't have the correct picture."
John,
And how is one supposed to know? Do you call or Email the seller seconds prior to an auction close to verify that what is described is in fact what it is, and ask them to send you proof? Ebay has seemed to agree with me that the my retractions were justified, otherwise, I'd have negative feedback, which I don't.
WSJ
I got entangled in a huge problem like this one. I bid on a phone for my wife.. PDA typoe phone... but my bid was half of what these usually go for and I was only hoping to get lucky... this listing still had 6 days to go.
Low and behold, the seller ended the auction early, less than 24 hrs into it and declares me the winner. Smelled fishy... so I dig a little and find he did the same with two other high-dollar items on the same day, the same way.
I alerted the other potential buyers and ebay and I refused to pay after the guy refused to forward his phone number and a few other things.
He gave me negative feedback.... my only one, marring my perfect record. eBay soon after suspended his account.... but my feedback is still screwed up now..... I am so aggravated about that still. They do not do much about correcting that even when it was obviously the result of a scammer.
but, I saved losing my $275.... so I can live with it.
I certainly learned to be more careful about who I bid to.
I refuse to accept that there are limitations to what we can accomplish. Pete Draganic
I won't buy from first time eBayers unless it is local and I pick up the equipment. I am an avid eBayer, and value my rating. I assume others do too, and am very nervous of a first timer, but a first time seller is scary.Regards, Scooter"I may be drunk, but you're crazy, and I'll be sober tomorrow." WC Fields, "Its a Gift" 1934
i returned the item today, shipped it anyway, i will update on new developments as they occur.
went through the paypall dispute process as seller didn't return emails very quick.
seller i think was having funds held by paypal because he was new, they were watching him like a hawk, and the paypal dispute people were very helpfull to me in the whole thing, ebay really has it on the ball.
i expect to get out of this without any negative feedback, i didn't do anything wrong and you couldn't ask for a more communicative ebayer.
ebay's new policy is that sellers cannot leave negatives for buyers.
i am not too concerned with it, but that it good to hear. and as for the previous poster, so far this ebay experience has been very good, ebay and paypal is on top of it. let me recount...
1 it seemed a little suspicious, but could also have been inexperienced seller with no picture. i gave him the benefit of the doubt, but took a chance. i reported my suspicions to ebay in there online live chat forum, and was advised that i was obligated.
2 after getting seller to respond to email questions paid via paypal, again more suspicious stuff with a short delay in shipping, and seller refusing to let me pick up. finally arrived but not packed very well and not fitting description.
3 seller is tracking shipping and wants to know why it is being held (i was out of town on bus, and if he would have been more communicative or quicker with shipping i would have been home to receive. seller mentions in e-mail that paypal has his money on hold, and know all of a sudden he is very communicative, wants to make sure i got it so he can withdraw funds and run.
4 i contact paypal dispute resolution, but do not escalate into full blown filing of claim, try to work it out with seller that i want to return it but he is strangely uncommunicative again. paypal calls me at home, asks some questions, won't tell me whether sellers funds are being held or not because that would violate privacy, but advise me to go all the way and file full blown claim, which i do and then they take over, notify me to return item, which i do and also provide tracking.
thats where we stand now, expect to get a refund when item arrives back at seller. ebay/paypal is the best customer service i have ever dealt with period, no mistakes, no cluless people, knowledgable, communicative, and correct.
I think baseless negative feedback for you on a transaction like this is one of the glaring flaws of eBay. There should be a review or appeal process so you don't have to carry an obviously retaliatory negative feedback.
Newbies don't know how to post pics sometimes, and few people take a chance on them. That said, I have had good luck with all of them, but it's not worth it to me anymore because I get nervous, so I am uncomfortable until the item arrives.
I bought some outdoors cooking equipment from a newbie, who also was using two identities. Sent the wrong stuff. I emailed him, no response for days, then he said his warehouse made the mistake, then he said he ordered the wrong items, gave me a ups number to return them to the "warehouse". I saw they got there, and waited to hear from him - forever. Then like two weeks he emails me saying he had an emergency situation in his family and was sorry and would check on it. A few more days pass, then he emails me a tracking number for the returned items coming to me. Meanwhile he got a few negatives from other buyers. Now both his identities are no longer members. I did actually get my stuff, so it worked out, but you never know. This was about $140 bucks so I was concerned.
seg
Pay with paypal, you have some protection with them.
No way to really know if your buying stolen merchandise though and even if you did buy it and you had some proof that you paid for it you still have to give it back and its up to you to go back for your money.
Doug
thanks all for the advice.
i will definitely pay with paypal and do all correspondence through ebay so they have easy access as was suggested. thank you.
i wonder if i should just come out and ask him if he has a receipt for it? i understand i am committed, and i don't want to offend the guy, he may well be legit and just new.
"i wonder if i should just come out and ask him if he has a receipt for it?"the time for that is before you bid - roll with it, learn from it, don't sweat the small stuff - "there's enough for everyone"
yes you are right. unfortunately i just stumbled across it today only a coupla hours before it ended.
Do you save the reciepts from all of your tool purchases? Would you ask for a reciept for a tool purchased at a swap meet, yard sale, or other such market? E-bay is a good faith based marketplace. If you are really that worried, I would refrain from buying on E-bay.
"Do you save the reciepts from all of your tool purchases?"unequivocally, yes - but it's unlikely I would ask for or expect one - if I feel uncomfortable, I'll pass - I'm thinking you are addressing this to the OP, who is having the remorse/apprehension - "there's enough for everyone"
absolutely i save the receipts, they are all deductions. i always try to buy with a credit card to have that statement as well as the receipt for the tax man if he asks.
also on big ticket items its a good idea to be able to prove that you paid for it. have ever been on the job and someone approached you with something for sale and it was too good to be true? if you just give the guy cash what are you going to say to the cops and the rightful owner when they find you with it?
as a follow up seller contacted me and said he would prefer to ship, that way he would have proof of delivery by tracking. and he even offered to lower the quoted shipping rate of $75 to $50 and throw in the insurance for the item.
i responded by saying "i absolutely understand, and it is best to do all communication via email through ebay so they can check it if there are problems or questions." i also asked "if you could please provide a copy of some sort of receipt. i understand if it was paid for with a credit card you would want to black out your account numbers etc." and i said "i will pay via paypal as soon as i got a response."
by the way we are talking about a miller XMT 304 welder with a retail value of over $3000 that i bought slightly used just over two years old for $862.
http://www.millerwelds.com/products/multiprocess/xmt_304_cc_cv/
an incredible bargain, if it is what he said it is properly listed it will bring at least $1500
My last couple of experiences with Ebay has involved people trying to slide in a scam or two on me. It seems like the shammers are more aggressive the last year or so. I've run across several dozen deals like yours and didn't pull the trigger simply because I didn't want to pull the trigger on the spur of the moment and go through what you are going through.
Ghey unicorns????
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-VBpLQSPD8&feature=relatedi spoke to the online advice people at ebay, asked them what to do.
it is a killer deal and i will allow the seller to ship if he wants but i will ask if i can come see the item before i pay for it since there was no picture.
already it is sounding more suspicious, and the ebay advice guy even said the seller may be anxious to get out of the deal because it went so low. also if item doesn't show up i only get $200 back because of his low feedback rating, new seller.
so it is good to have the information, using the information i will negotiate to ensure i don't buy a stolen tool or get ripped off.
I would give the guy the benefit of the doubt. Innocent until proven guilty blah, blah, blah. Sometimes you just get killer deals on Ebay. Another thing to look at in a deal like this is, maybe it's a piece of junk. That could also be his motivation. I'm not intending to ruin your good deal but there's more then one reason to dump something cheap.
Ghey unicorns????
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-VBpLQSPD8&feature=related
like i said in a previous post i asked seller to provide proof of ownership and if i could come look at it. if he won't let me come look at it i won't pay.
i would rather have a black mark on my ebay account than to buy a stolen item or lose $662.
i think it has to do with his feedback rating but paypal will only reimburse $200 if seller doesn't send itme. i figure if i physically see it and know where it/he is ther is a good liklihood he will send it. if not at least i know where to start looking for him.
If you pay by credit card, you can always bounce the transaction when your statement comes. PayPal will go berserk, and it will be quite a hassle (and it's conceivable you would even lose in the end) but it just might make you whole if the guy bones you...PaulB
I think you got the killer deal because of no feedback, and no picture, there is some risk involved and you took it. Scammers will just steal a picture of a used welder, or use a generic picture for the ad. Also, I would try to contact him on the phone myself, you can get a better handle on the character of the seller.
I agree with Mark, however...
I am skeptical about the fact that he won't even let you see it when you have $662 for him. Then again, maybe he's not too thrilled about selling it that cheap and would be glad if you backed out. It's a tough call.
Lesson learned: Get the facts before bidding.
I hope it works out in the end. --------------------------------------------------------
Cheap Tools at MyToolbox.netSee some of my work at TedsCarpentry.com
well the 662 is what i stand to lose if it is a scam, paypal would reimburse 200 of the 862 i won the bid for, not counting the 50 for shipping and insurance.
lesson was known when i bought it, i knew i was taking a chance to get a bargain,
now my goal is to make sure i don't get burned and try to close the deal. if i can't go see it, and he won't even correspond by email i don't think i will pay.
my ebay record will take a hit, oh well. that is what i risked when i bid. if it goes through the reward will be worth the hassle.
Actully, no you won't. Ebay has changed their policy, negative feedback can no longer be be left for buyers, only for sellers. I'm not sure if it applies to neutral feedback, although that has changed too. I had a 100% positive till they changed the policy. Now it's 93% because of a neutral rating from a misunderstanding (jerk didn't understand how to use his computer). So, it may still affect your rating, but it's impossible for him to leave you a negative.
In light of that, he's not likely to leave you a neutral for that matter. Because you CAN leave him, the seller, a negative.
Come to think of it, looks like you've got him by the balls. Not the other way around.
Hmmm.... will balls get sensored?
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Cheap Tools at MyToolbox.netSee some of my work at TedsCarpentry.com
Edited 6/15/2008 10:40 am by Ted W.
if it was me in his situation i would be trying like heck to get out of the deal. i am think that thing properly listed will go for over $1500 if he was accurate in his description.
its easily worth what i paid for it if it was owned by an equipment rental outfit.
if it was owned by an equipment rental outfit.
I wonder if he was the outfit or the renter? Or for that matter, a dishonest employee.
I see a lot of Bosch Brutes for sale from rental places, at about that price range. I'm reluctant though, because renters tend to abuse the heck out of tools. Especially tools they think are meant for abuse. I doubt a renter ever greased the bits, for instance.
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Cheap Tools at MyToolbox.netSee some of my work at TedsCarpentry.com
Edited 6/15/2008 12:09 pm by Ted W.
"maybe its a piece of junk"
thats why i want to go look at it, it was described as "just over 2 years old and lightly used by someone trying to learn to weld."
one look will tell me if the description was accurate or not. an extremely beat and used one is still worth $900, if it works when you flip the switch. these can be reconditioned, and there is one listed by a rental yard (that rents them to contractors) for a buy it now of $1550 and it has some miles on it.
i just want to make sure he has it before i pay.
Keep us posted.
Ghey unicorns????
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-VBpLQSPD8&feature=related
Am I missing something here?
If you can go look at it, why would you then pay to have it shipped?
Sounds like a hell of a deal to me.
Joe H
That's the point. He can't go look at it. The guy won't let him see it even though it within distance.--------------------------------------------------------
Cheap Tools at MyToolbox.netSee some of my work at TedsCarpentry.com
The guy won't let him see it even though it within distance.
Segundo has not said that, you said that.
Joe H
he sent some paperwork that makes me think he is legit. he never did answer if i could come to look at it.
Well good luck, hell of a nice machine.
Joe H
thanks, i hope it works out all right.
yes they are very nice machines, state of the art. in my opinion there is no better portable welding source, perfect for heavy industrial construction, pipelines, power plants, refineries. its also really nice in the shop/garage. about the only thing it won't do is AC tig for aluminum, but i think there is equipment you can use in conjunction if thats what you want to do.
i do that kind of thing for a living and i often do not have that quality of equipment at work. i will probably use it mostly for wire in some form or other. for a power source i have a MQ whisper welder/generator with a kubota 3 cylinder diesel. the new miller should love that thing, it is a great power source, i have used it before to power a welder and it is amazing the difference from plug in power. the generator produces a superior weld.
I'll request some photos of you system after you get it together - I've got gas and stick welders in the shop, but my experience with tig/mig is limited to watching others - "there's enough for everyone"
gas and stick welding are tougher than mig or tig
the only thing tough at all about mig is the set up. once you have it set it is the easiest type of welding to manipulate, i can have a new welder running excellent beads within a couple of hours of practice in the flat postion.
when you get into the out of position stuff its a little tougher
and tig welding is knitting for men. you know how when you are soldering after you get the joint heated you apply the solder and the joint sucks up what it needs? tig welding is similar, you apply the tig torch for the heat, then a little touch of filler and let the puddle suck it up, then crawl forward with the torch and heat, pause and apply filler, its easy to do just takes many hours to get really good at it, so that its automatic, just like watching grandma knitting while she talks or watches tv etc.
So, what's the status of the delivery?
Ripped off or happy owner of new welder?
Joe H
thanks Joe, for bringing this thread up -
took a pict that I wanted to post -
at the summer meeting of the horticultural society we visited a 4th generation farm - four generations who took care of their equipment and never f----d up badly -
here's a welder I found around back -
View Image"there's enough for everyone"
i received a welder, but it is not what was described. I notified the seller and ebay/paypal and am waiting to hear if seller will take it back.
it was supposed to be two years old and lightly used by a beginner, what arrived is an old commercial unit with the contractors name still written on it. it was either retired or sold when business closed, but it looks like its been rode hard and put away wet.
it was a good price for this welder, and if i cannot return it i will sell it with a proper description on ebay, with a photo and proper description it should fetch what i have into it.
i prefer the newer technology, the older ones don't work for as many applications. it was asked and answered if it was just two years old, so in my mind a clear case of item that arrived not what was described.
I have seen some descriptions like that, " I purchased it six months ago and have only used twice", fail to mention that it was a tired puppy when bought.
You can probably find out exactly how old it is by looking at the serial number. Or getting in touch with the manufacturers tech support number
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WHE1dM4hYCw
yes i mentioned that to the paypal dispute people, apparently the seller is not communicating with me, if he were to accept a return there would be no reason for me to bother to look it up to find the exact date, i know it is older than he says because the applications/functions are limited on this model.
it may work fine, but it won't do some of the things i need it to do.
caveat emptor
jt8
"A little 'enthusiasm' and all problems seems small!"
Right you are. I assumed the guy said no, but he never replied either way. I ####+u+me 'd.
http://forums.taunton.com/tp-breaktime/messages?msg=105815.14
http://forums.taunton.com/tp-breaktime/messages?msg=105815.16
Oopsy!--------------------------------------------------------
Cheap Tools at MyToolbox.netSee some of my work at TedsCarpentry.com
using the information i will negotiate to ensure i don't buy a stolen tool or get ripped off.
Which can be tricky. Suppose the seller made some deals at a siezure auction? Some of that merchandise can be very inexpensive, and for product that may not have great pedigree, either.
There used to be some sellers that were nabbing up stock from sheriff's auctions on defunct pawn shops--talk about raising ethical dilemna. Which can be as tricky as shopping a pawn shop as is.
Then there's the big giant question of how to cope with misspelled ot mis-identified items. Was a brief flare-up 2-3 years ago of all these "success stories" of people searching for misspelled items, buying them cheap, then relisting them for profit. I'm not sure anyone made a great huge success of that, smart shoppers can search under mispellings, too ("Falg" for "Flag" for instance).
Instinct can be the thing to trust, sometimes. And, sales success begins in the "buy" not from the sale. Sometimes you can get things cheap and pass the savings on to the next customer, which makes the sale.Occupational hazard of my occupation not being around (sorry Bubba)
the seller sent me a copy of the invoice/receipt he got when he bought it from a welding shop close to where he lives, he sent it as an attachment to an email.
i checked and it is indeed a legitimate business in the area, so i payed up via paypal. i will keep you all posted if i got the deal of the year or ripped off.
this is what i bought for $912 including shipping, only two years old.
http://www.millerwelds.com/products/multiprocess/xmt_304_cc_cv/
I have found a few things here before but not recently.
http://www.fatfingers.co.uk/
i will ask if i can come see the item before i pay for it
This is your solution. Go see the object and pay him and take it with you. I always do this if I am close. If he objects, its a scam, don't buy it. If you get negative feedback, explain that he would not let you pick it up.
I have one negative feedback and 150 good ones. People know there are jerks out there.
You get out of life what you put into it......minus taxes.
Marv
Edited 6/18/2008 8:59 am by Marv
Edited 6/18/2008 9:00 am by Marv
I always do this if I am close. If he objects, its a scam, don't buy it.
Very likely not. I will never let anyone pick anything up, no matter how close they are, for the following reasons:
1. In the event of a dispute, Paypal will accept ONLY certain kinds of online-accessible delivery receipts as proof of delivery. If the buyer picks it up and files a non-receipt complaint with Paypal, the seller will lose because they cannot provide the Paypal required proof of delivery.
2. You never know who you are dealing with. I once had a buyer threaten to kill me because I sold an item listed in the classified a week before they even called. I do not want any buyer to know where I live or to be able to find that out, and have taken steps to make that very difficult.
For these reasons and more, wise sellers do not allow buyers to pick up merchandise, particularly for Ebay sales.
Having said that, I wouldn't sell anything large on ebay - only stuff I could ship. Larger stuff is sold locally, and I meet the buyer at a shopping center rather than my home, and accept only cash. A little less convenient, but infinitely safer.
And for those that are thinking "I can take care of myself", remember that trained professionals like police officers and special forces operatives are not infrequently killed in these kinds of situations.
remember that trained professionals like police officers and special forces operatives are not infrequently killed in these kinds of situations.
Thanks for the advice. I'll never sell to a police officer again.You get out of life what you put into it......minus taxes.
Marv
Speaking of that here is a tragedy that happened here last night. HP Trooper shot and killed by a scumbag.
Prayers for his wife and two week old child. A few months ago had one attacked and slashed with a box cutter, Trooper shot his sorry #### dead.
http://www.citizen-times.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=200880617159&GID=Kkik4/Wu+avYUcxC7lYiM9Npocko9JnJ8jK7wIzH2cE%3D
Hope it works out OK. I don't bid on people with no feedback or bad feedback. And typically I won't bid if there isn't a picture.
But you're right about checking various spellings for what you're looking for. The misspelled stuff often goes for less.
jt8
"A little 'enthusiasm' and all problems seems small!"
Edited 6/17/2008 11:19 am by JohnT8
thats all good advice john, about not bidding without feedback or picture. but what about when it is something you are looking for at about half of what it should cost, a real bargain?
thats what happened to me, i just stumbled onto it with about 2 hours till it ended.
bid or no bid?
by the way guy emailed this morn to say he was going to drop off at UPS today and would send tracking info after he dropped it.
at least he is communicating, we'll see if it shows up.